The "perm" and drying hair odors which are typically found in a beauty salon is known to be the number one complaint of salon customers. While several methods and apparatus are presently available for combating this problem, none presently known have been found to be completely acceptable as will be described below.
One method for combating the smell typically found in beauty salons is to use traditional air scenting techniques, such as aerosol deodorizers, and other similar type of room deodorizers. This method is practically ineffective against the ever present odor of the beauty salon. Further, these methods require the attention of salon personnel thereby reducing time which the personnel can use to perform their normal duties.
Another method and apparatus for reducing undesirable odors in a beauty salon can be found in Fluegel, U.S. Pat. No. 2,481,407. Fluegel discloses a hair drying device which includes a mesh-like material 46 that diffuses incoming air and also acts as an air silencer. The mesh-like material 46 may also serve to retain sachet 48 or, or the like, for scenting the drying air. The apparatus disclosed in Fluegel, however, is not readily adapted for use with a standard hand-held hair dryer as is commonly used in present day beauty salons. Further, the apparatus disclosed by Fluegel requires a retaining barrier, such as mesh-like material 46 to retain the sachet 48 from being influenced by the flow of heated air.
Other apparatus for combining spray from an aerosol can with the heated air stream of a hair dryer is disclosed in Bolton, U.S. Pat. No. 4,523,080. Bolton discloses a hand-held hair dryer which is adapted to receive an aerosol can for supplying a composition contained within the aerosol can to the hair or scalp. Bolton, however, requires a specialized hand-held hair dryer which is particularly adapted to attach an aersol can to the hair dryer and includes means for activating the release mechanism of the can. Accordingly, the apparatus disclosed by Bolton does not allow for scenting of a beauty salon using a standard hand-held hair drying device.
Other apparatus has been disclosed for performing functions similar to those performed by the disclosures of Fluegel and Bolton, but, however, none of these disclosures provide apparatus which can be used in combination with a standard hand-held hair dryer to eliminate the odors presently found in beauty salons.
It is, therefore, desirable to provide apparatus for eliminating undesirable odors found in beauty salons. It is, further desirable to provide apparatus which can be readily used with standard hand-held hair dryers to reduce or eliminate undesirable odors presently found in beauty salons.